Winter Wonderland

 

We are frozen here on the 48th parallel

 Some are even sporting a winter beard

(Bella did NOT approve of this message)

 The warmth of our home is soon exchanged by cold hands and frozen nostrils

 Grab my hat and out we go

 .... yes, Lilly out you're coming outside with me too.

 A magical wintery world is outside-

fresh cold air hits my face as I open the door, sun is shining brightly and the snow sparkles like diamonds...

 and Jack Frost paints his beautiful work

No laundry to be hung today- these little pins are so cold and frozen they are barely hanging on

Another Glorious winter day in Montana

Winter is the king of showmen,
Turning tree stumps into snowmen
And houses into birthday cakes
And spreading sugar over lakes.
Smooth and clean and frosty white,
The world looks good enough to bite.
That’s the season to be young,
Catching snowflakes on your tongue.
Snow is snowy when it’s snowing,
I’m sorry it’s slushy when it’s going.
~Ogden Nash

God Helg

(as they say in Norwegian)

 

Enjoy your weekend!

 

passing thoughts

It's 5. 35 am chef heads out. Has to get everything ready early am for breakfast at Base Camp. I open my eyes it's still pitch black- stumble out of bed I get ready for the day. The dogs want out and to time to take care of business. Lilly does her regular round and barks at everything and anything to alert that she is once again in charge of her domain this early morn. Luther sits patiently waiting for breakfast- which I swear he inhales in 3.2 seconds. Usually these winter morns I light candles on the kitchen table- it's the Scandinavian in me- in wintertime it helps waft away heaviness of the dark. I wake my sleepy children- they are not big fans of getting up so early, but a price we all have to pay to get to school so far way.
 

Coffee is on - Knekkebrod and lingon berry jam, breakfast of champions, I start to come alive. The kids start filing into the kitchen, a well orchestrated symphony of eggs being made, oatmeal, milk and juice being poured and splashed, wiped up and gulped down...self sufficient little buggers.
Lunch is made - teeth are brushed and hair combed- they look for the most part "neatly" disheveled at this hour, I am proud of them for being such troopers , especially when mornings like this go pretty smoothly.
Get the flashlight - run out in the frozen dark tundra and feed the horses who greet me with a hungry nicker.
Start the frozen car- that is not the least bit happy about having spent another cold night in the Montana winter...
 

Still dark- it hasn't snowed for over a week the roads are nice and clear, no ice and no wrecks that we pass by weekly. We arrive, day light breaks, sun is rising over the Swan Mountain range. Big Sky ablaze with pinks, peach and deep orange,  I sit with Fog horn for 10 minutes in the parking lot before school and continue reading, The Magicians Nephew- secretly thinking how lucky I am sitting in the car reading to my son.

 

 I actually don't mind my 1 hr roundtrip commute. It's time for thoughts to seep in. Lots of mental filing, dreaming, organizing happens on the road between school and home.

 

Abundance is a state of mind!

 I love this!  A great discovery that has been carving itself out lately in my mind how feeling abundant + grateful sets the tone for any circumstance and truly makes difference.

 

 It's these mornings I think about my favorite word: Magnificent....and how we all are. How we seem to divide and conquer our daily tasks, for the most part. That we can lean on each other and  have each others backs. 

We are a clan.

Letting my self fall into feeling peaceful.

Noticing lately it's impossible to put a whole week into one day.

No longer willing to live up to other people standards, take it or leave it.

What I do, does not define me

 - it's who I am 

 

Stay in your lane!!! I'll stay in mine.

(Huge Kevin Hart fan)

 

Weaving in and out of the morning fog -there are parts of the road I can see clearly and other times I need to slow down and be cautious. My thoughts drift and I realize how life is ever changing-  it's not all about happiness it's a small part of life, it flutters in ....or flutters by, catch it while you can. Embracing darkness is just as important, it will make you appreciate the light that follows, it all comes in waves just like this early morning fog.

Discovering how reading an interesting book can be more nourishing than a conversation.

and how I find Stuffy and Inflated people....boring

Crazy can be good...really good!
 

Giving up is not always the best option and that little things matter!
Prove to myself- not others

My dreams don't always fit into my reality- but the ones that do........

 

Nearing home I turn into my frozen drive way and think how many random thoughts pass during the day. Life is a really exciting adventure and truly the best gift I will ever receive.

There is a  richness, I savor more. Wag more bark less ( love that sticker)
 

Stay in your lane!!! I'll stay in mine.

 

 

~ The gift of little things ~

Barn Sweater still in progress
- a small quandary though, maybe you can help me?

The pattern calls for the sweater to have the purl stitch facing outwards...but I also like the knit stitch
- what say you?
Any suggestions. I need to make a choice soon the pockets are going in shortly.

 Reading a remarkable book
 " The gift of little things"
 Alice S. Hutchens
About Alice, herself, moving from Minnesota, thru California and settles in my neck of the woods- Whitefish, Montana. A true story, vividly she writes about homesteading near Lost Creek. Encounters with bears and bad weather, a school teacher she lives a beautiful and simple life in the mountains a stones throw from my house. I recognize names and places- for me it's like a Laura Ingalls book- so it 's definitely becoming a favorite.
When I finish reading the book -I hope to locate her homestead. I appreciate this type of  non fiction, local authors preserving and teaching us the history that we are part of.



Joining Ginny & Frontier Dreams

JOY

Isn’t it cool when the days that are supposed to feel good, actually do?

~Jim Carrey

 

It's been a good week

productive and creative

 I feel very happy- it's wonderful when a door opens

...here, peek inside

 

NEW YARN

 in the shop

MOUNTAIN GIRL YARNS

 Indian Summer

 a super soft and yummy single ply

Northern Lights

A delightful SW Merino 4 ply

Aventine

(inspired by Agnes)

deep rich jewel tones

SW Merino finger yarn

 a beautiful weekend

Blueberry pancakes for breakfast and John Denver tunes

skiing with chef on Big Mountain

and the rest of the clan

 neck and shoulder feels better

life is truly good

***

 

 

... This ....

beautiful & stunning

touches me in so many ways

 

 

Wishing you a lovely week ahead

xo

 

 

 

The curse

"The biggest mistake you could ever make is being to afraid to make one."

unknown

This week:

 Doc said I had whip lash after my ski-scapade

so I have experienced what living with that feels like

I do not recommend it.

My "lovely" 14 year old that tests me beyond belief

it's as if his job is to see how much grief he can give me

the insurmountable of  trouble he gets himself into is just unreal

 lets just say he keeps the principle busy

this saga seams never-ending

 Fog horn - the youngest (on accident) broke a full bottle of olive oil in the pantry at 6:25 am this morning- the most stressful time- rushing to take the kids to school

 lets not forget the bloody mess it is to clean up broken glass and oil up spilled all over dry goods

 on the floor

whilst slipping and cursing in Norwegian

every bad word I knew

aaaaaand

with a bad case of whip lash to boot.

feeling pretty cursed.

In the meantime I have been scratching my head how to

infuse more color, variance, depth and uniqueness

 to my yarns

  a conundrum for months

 I feel like I have been circling the drain

 to scared to try something different- what if I fail???

A curse.

 This week

THE FOG LIFTED!

 out of no where the answer appeared with no trumpets sounding

 quietly moved thru my head

At that moment all my yarn skeins saw daylight again

 patiently waiting for a color bath- the beautiful assortment of dyes

  pots & pans

  a glorious mess was created in the kitchen

 To heck with the kids

to heck with my whiplash and the olive oil

I was singing to Agnes!

and dyeing my heart out

(yeah I know that sounds weird)

 blazing a new trail

Sometimes all we need is a break thru to get out of our funk

 finding that creative spark and confidence (in my case) 

 letting everything else stay on the back burner

 absorb that moment

 even if fleeting

 be there fully

 letting that damn curse take a hike!

Yeah sure Auggie will be no different next week with all his crazy teen stuff and

Foghorn will be full throttle getting into things

 and I will be skiing once again.

but I will take this small victory

 this curse removed and celebrate

 I will celebrate with color

 and beautiful

 beautiful Agnes.

  

Wishing you all a curse free weekend.

*****

 

~  Addendum ~

  New yarn available in the shop today!

Mountain Girl Yarn give away winner is.......

Foghorn picked number

22

Sonrie

you won

 CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

 

Please contact me with your shipping address

 and I will have this out to you shortly.

 

Thank you to all who participated

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barn Sweater

“Don't close the barn door after the horse runs away”

American Proverb

Knitting " Barn Sweater" featured in Taproot issue 11

 

 a lovely soft 50/50 Merino/ Alpaca yarn

 slightly textured and heathered

 it has a rustic feel to it.

that I imagine a barn sweater should have

 

 I didn't have enough of one color so mixed

 lavender, saffron, chocolate and sky blue

 yarn from

 Mountain Girl Yarns

 

Reading a lovely book

Simple Truths

by

 Ken Nerburn

 he writes clear and gentle guidance about on the big issues in life

 

 A constant quandary

for me

 

I find it offers me simplicity & comfort.

 

 

There is still enough time to enter the  GIVEAWAY here at FjordGirl-

 ~ winner will be announced January 22 ~

 

Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams

 

 

Rewilding my heart

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

This week

You learn something every day if you pay attention.

~Ray LeBlond

This week I learned:

 

 That blogging is still alive and well, that people have something to say & share!

Being part of this great community, well... makes life a little greater.

 

There are many kindred folks out there in blog land- thank you for sharing your thoughts and your favorite destinations. As much as people like to travel- staying home is also where the heart is.

The world is big...but so is family.

 

I love a new artist found via Sustainablemum : Agnes Obel...beautiful

 

How much downhill skiing has helped my usual winter blues- winter can be wonderful as it was when I was  kid.

 

That I thrive when I am learning something new and it is high time to step out of "my box". Signing up for some classes at www.craftsy.com

 

It's not worth the sleepless nights stressing about life, realizing the universe is too big and I am only along for the ride. Trying to solve problems at 1:45 am isn't working for me. There usually is a way around unpleasant things that need to be dealt with when day light breaks, even a solution.

 

 Houston Texas here I come...whaaaaaat???!!

My Norwegian passport is expiring and apparently can no longer be renewed in Missoula Montana. I have to fly all the way to Houston Texas....(maybe I'll buy a cowboy hat) 

 

The year of the sheep is at the front door...I'm a sheep- excited to see what this new fresh year holds.

 

How has your week been...did you learn something?

(If you just stopped by, I am offering a Mountain Girl Yarn GIVEAWAY - still open- winner will be announced January 22 )



 

Give Away!

Voltron of awesomeness!!!!!!

Mountain Girl Yarns is having a Give Away

not 1

but 2 yarns

 woohoo!!!!

"Toasted Almond"

Hand dyed

 100 % SW Merino single ply

finger weight

sumptuous and warm

takes on a hand spun feel

"Avaria"

hand dyed

80/10/10

SW Merino, Cash, nylon

lace weight

light as a feather, soft & cozy 

~To enter ~

 Tell me your favorite spot in this big world

Foghorn will pick a random number

&

winner will be announced

 January 22nd.

(Please include contact info)

Good Luck

and

may the force be with you

*****

1/22/15 This Give away is now closed

Wednesday Knitting

 

Knitting Selbu Votter again-

 these are gift for my cousin Gro that lives in Geilo, Norway.

 The unconventional colors makes them fun.

 

 I am reading Standing in the light

by Sharman Apt Russell

 

Only thru the first few chapters I know this is going to be a good one.

Beautifully written about science and nature- she writes about her spiritual journey and life in

New Mexico.

 

 

~ a giveaway here Thursday ~

stay tuned.

 

What's on your needles?

 

Joining Ginny and Frontier dreams.

Sur la table

 

Feeling pretty creative this weekend.

a few tablescapes I created.

 

****

Thank you all who read and posted your thoughts on my prior post

very interesting and uplifting to read your point of view

 

 Viva Blog land!

 

Is blogging dead?

-this just in :

I read blogging is dead!
just when I thought things were getting good around here?

 Not sure I agree with that statement- as an avid magazine reader and collector, I find some blogs can be way more fresh and current.

I find community in blogging with like and unlike minded people that I have established a far away friendship with- some I would be pals with and have coffee or ski or something. On my blogging journey there are people /ideas/things I can relate to, learn from, find advice not mention creativity ( something I am always on the hunt for) all that, I find pretty remarkable.

Blogging gives you a voice.

Think how many folks read blogs for crafting, photography inspiration, recipes, parenting, homeschooling, travel, promoting their business, fashion advice...lets NOT forget knitting.

 I live in Montucky in the middle of nowhere ...HELLO is anyone out there???!!!!

It's fun to have New York at my front step or my friend from Italy at the breakfast table...probably would not have been a possibility if not for the world of blogging.
Peering into peoples daily lives...there is something charming about that, and I for one appreciate what blogging offers.

I read this article and this article both interesting and valid.

 Blogging is more for 40- something with kids
...really?

If blogging is dead does that mean we have nothing more to say?
Nothing more to share?
Are we done here?

Personally I think that would be very sad if the good folks out there thought that blogging was dead.
I'm not done yet!!!!

Some think blogging is narcissistic- I never bought that idea.
 -maybe there is some truth to that?
Are people tired of reading about daily lives, kids, crafting, photography, food etc?

I think of blogging as a lovely concoction of a grownup show and tell.
Look what I can make...let me show you how you can make this this too.
I traveled here...you should go there too, and these are some cool places to visit.
We cooked this yesterday- do you want a bite...here's the recipe.

But maybe...
the cup half full or is it running over?

Not a big fan of facebook, I sure do love instagram and the beautiful pictures even the silly emotion cons....
but blogging gives more.. I think.

What say you- Is blogging dead?